Swallowing Deficiency

Swallowing deficiencies are very common in the disabled population. This can greatly affect oral hygiene but with a few modifications to your oral hygiene routine, you can make taking care of your client’s oral health much better even with a swallowing disorder.

What is a swallowing disorder?

A swallowing disorder is also known as dysphagia. These clients have a hard time swallowing and moving food from the mouth to stomach.

How to Identify a Swallowing Defect:

1. Client coughs right after eating or drinking something

2. Food or liquid leaks from the mouth

3. Needs extra time to chew and swallow

4. Throat clearing is a problem

5. They avoid food that is hard to swallow

Home treatment:

Use no more than a pea size of toothpaste

Use fluoridated rinse dipped on a toothbrush instead of toothpaste

Use a small piece of a sponge and dip it in fluoridated rinse and brush the clients’ teeth using the sponge